Semiautomatic heat control



April 3, 1951 T. K. LEWIS SEMIAUTOMATIC HEAT CONTROL Filed Oct. 1, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Theodor-e11. .L ewis Fflomey 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1, 1947 rill/42,476 9/ I- all- V s e N u m 47 8. 0 VK n e M d w W J 5 n WV 3 6 a iiiilw Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFECE SEMIAUTOMA'ILIC HEAT CONTROL Theodore Keith Lewis, Wauneta, N ebr.

Application October 1, 1947, Serial No. 777,173

' This invention relates to a regulator, such as a curtain placed in front of the radiator grill on a motor driven Vehicle and serves the purpose of modifying the air current passing therethru. This curtain, which is permanently attached in front of the radiator grill, can be easily operated from the dash board of the vehicle, by simply pulling a knob or handle in order to regulate the draught thru said grill.

After pulling the handle or knob on the dashboard, the device works fully automatic as actuated from the fan belt of the vehicle to place the curtain at the desired height.

This heat control operated from the driver's seatsaves the farmer, when using his tractor or oth r motor vehicle, considerable time, as he now does not need to stop to adjust his radiator coverage by hand, beside saving gas as well as .wear and tear on the gears, and avoiding heavy gas'ccnsump'tion in restarting from a dead stop with a heavy load.

These and other advantages and objects of the invention are set forth in the subioined'description with the aid of the attached drawings, wherein like numerals denote the same details in the several views.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective and of a diagrammatic character illustrating the invention as herein embodied;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view with parts in elevation showing the assembly of the power pulley;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of'Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of Figure 2 as seen from line i--4; A

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the tripping head and heel;

Figure 6 is' a vertical section along the line 5-5 of Figure 1, the'arrangement of curtain and pulleys;

Figure '7 is a vertical section taken along line ll' of Figure 6 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure" 8 is'an enlarged sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure '7 looking in the direction of the arrows.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, 28 denotes a protecting or shielding curtain of a spring roller type, for the usual motor vehicle radiator shown in broken outline and generally designated R. The curtain spring roller 29 is rotatably carried by the lower portion of an open face housing 39, which is secured at the bottom to the front end of the vehicle frame F.

7 Claims. (Cl. 12341.04')

This curtain is so mounted that it maybe un-' 7 rolled to cover the entire front of the radiator 1 1, is mounted in the housing in front of the ra-' diator on a pair of pulleys 33, 31 for raising and lowering the curtain into desired position. The curtain top rod 34, which is longer than the width of the curtain, is secured, for hoisting, at a desired point on the cable 32, by tab 34a, while on the opposite run of the endless cable 5-32, a trip heel 35 is provided fora purpose to be hereinafter explained. The upper pulley 31, which is double grooved, is mounted in the housing 36 which carries another pulley 39 for driving the curtain lift pulley 31 by a short endless belt til. This drive pulley 39 is actuatedby a power unit, generally designated M, comprising an-endless belt 24 running-in the groove of a slidably mounted'friction pulley .2 at the top end of a vertically movable carriage C and also over a series of guidepulleys or idlers id-positioned between the unit 4| and the housing 39, and a friction pulley-t3 supported for sliding movement in the top of the housing. This slidable friction pulley i2 is made to revolve by friction, by be ing pressed into contact with the fan belt 23 by a manually actuated operating unit, which comprises a curtain raiserwire 4'? with a knob 48; and secured at lid to thecarriage C; A curtain release wire it, with a knob 53, is also provided, and both knobs are mounted on the inside of the clash board, within easy reach of the driver.

The carriage C, which supports the pulley 42, is slidably mounted ina tubular casing 53, which is fixed on the vehicle by lugs 52a, beneath one run of the fan belt 23 shown in broken lines in Figure 1. v The carriage C is caused'to move within the casing 53 by pulling the wire 41 to lift the carriage C and-to bring pulley 42 in contact with belt 23 againstthe tension of the contractible member or spring E i. carriage C, with the friction pulley 42, is held with a pair of spring-actuated latch studs 62, mounted on the casing 53. When the carriage C is fully raised, these studs engage in corresponding notches 62a at the upper end of the carriage C, thereby locking or holding the pulley 42 in frictional contact with the fan belt 23. lhe pulleys 39 and d3 are both provided with toothed gears 255a and 43a respectively on their adjacent sides. The pulley a3 is mounted with its shaft on a sliding bearing block in a slot 38 provided therefor in a wall of the housing 3%. An expansible mem- In this raised position, the

her or spring 63 normally urges the gear 43c, and pulley 43 away from the gear 39a and pulley 39 to disengage the gears. When the carriage C is shifted by the pull wire 41 to move the pulley 42 into driving connection with the fan belt 23, the belt 24 will be pulled to move the pulley 43 down against the resistance of spring 53, and thereby bring the gears 39a. and 43a into mesh.

The rod 34 of the curtain is attached by the tab 34a to the forward run of the cable 32 which run moves upwardly in the operation of the device to draw the curtain into covering position over the radiator.

ttached to the rear run of the cable 32 to move downwardly as the curtain is raised, is a trip heel 35. In the path of movement of this trip heel is a trip head 55 which is so positioned that it will be engaged by the heel 35 when or after the curtain 28 has been drawn to its fully raised or covering position.

The trip head, as shown in Figure 5, is cut out upon the side thereof adiacent to the cable 32, to provide a fiat seat 55 which is struck by the trip heel in its downward movement.

At the lower corner portion of the trip head remote from the seat 56, the head is pivotallyattached as at I3, to the free end portion of a hinge plate 14. This plate 14 is disposed over the top of a post 01' column 75 and has pivotal connection at its opposite end, as at 75, with the upper portion of the post at the corner thereof nearest to the cable 32 as illustrated.

The post or column 15 is mounted in a fixed position on the bottom wall 1'! of the housing 33 directly rearwardly of and in relatively close proximity to the cable 32. Formed through the post or column is a bore 16 through which extends an end of a flexible cable or wire 49a. This cable or wire is attached to the trip head 55 as shown and it extends through a, suitable guide tube and is divided at its opposite end into two sections each of which is attached to one of the studs 52. Accordingly it will be seen that when the wire 49a is pulled from the end which is attached to the trip head 55 the studs 62 will be retracted and, if engaged in the notches 62a of the carriage member C, will release such member.

The upper portion of the post 15 is provided with a socket 19 and positioned in this socket and interposed between the bottom thereof and the hinge plate 14, is a coil spring 80 which normally exerts an upward thrust against the plate 74. Thus the spring 80 maintains the head 55 normally in an elevated position with respect to the post 55, returning the head to this position after it has been pressed downwardly by the trip heel 35.

For other than the uppermost unrolled position of the curtain, the member M is used as seen in Figures 1 and 6. This member M comprises two upstanding fiat side bars 51, having their lower end portions hinged at 63, to the lower portion of the frame 30, and provided with forwardly and upwardly extending fingers 58 for engagement by the top curtain rod 34. Springs GI, at the lower ends of the bars 51, constantly tend to swing the member M forwardly to put the fingers in the path of movement of the ends of the curtain rod Thus it will be seen that the rod 34 can be d awn upwardly past the fingers 58, causing the member M to move backwardly as each finger is engaged and passed and the Sprin s will then return the member to its former position.

When the member M is caused to swing back into ineiiective position, the rod 34' will be disen- 4 gaged from the fingers by which it may be held, so that the spring roller on which the curtain winds will retract the curtain as determined by the extent to which the member M has been rearwardly swung. The greater this rear swinging movement, the greater the extent of curtain retraction as determined by the uppermost one of the fingers 58 remaining in the downward travel of the curtain bar 34. It is to be pointed out that the fingers 58 project the same distance in advance of the member M.

The fingers 53 are disposed on similar upward inclines so that no hindrance or obstruction will be afforded to the upward movement of the curtain, as upon contact of the bar 34 with the fingers 58, the member M will move rearwardly sufiiciently to permit upward passage of the bar 34.

As illustrated, the member M may be swung rearwardly at will by the flexible member or wire suitably secured at one end as at X, to the top portion of the member M. This member or wire leads to the dash of the car where it is provided; with an operating knob 50.

The carriage C comprises the two opposed guide r-embers 54 and 65 having contact with the inner be of the member 53. These members 64 and 5;; at a direct point intermediate the end thereof are connected by the cross member 66 and rigid therewith.

The member 64 has extending along its outer face at substantially the transverse center thereof an outstanding key 51 which snugly but freely engages in the keyway or groove 68 in. the adjacent internal face of the member 53.

Diametrically opposed to the keyway or groove 68, the member 53 is provided with the slot 69 through which freely extends a key 10. The member 53, at opposite sides of the slot 69, is provided with the exterior flat facets 1| which are snugly and slidably contacted to the marginal portions of the cross plate 12 rigid with the key 10 and coextensive in length therewith.

The lower extremity of the tubular casing 53 carries the securing lugs 52a, hereinbefore referred to, for the purpose of bolting said casing 53 to the generator support bracket (not shown) in a conventional and well known manner.

The belt 24 where ever possible, should be incased and the operating knob 50 may be so marked to indicate to what extent the curtain may have been moved.

The operation of the present invention is as follows. When the machine operator desires to completely cover the front of the radiator he pulls the wire 4'! thereby raising the carriage C to put the pulley 42 into driving connection with the fan belt 23. The vehicle engine must, of course, be in operation at this time in order to efiect the operation of the radiator covering device. When the carriage C has been raised as stated the spring actuated latching studs 62 will be projected into notches 520.. As previously stated when the carriage C is raised the spring 54 will be put under increased tension and at the same time the belt pulled so as to place a down pull at the opposite end on the pulley 43. As the pulley 43 is pulled down the spring 63 will be compressed and placed under tension. Also the pulley 43 will be pulled down to a sufficient extent to put the gears 39a and 43a into mesh. Thus driving power will be transmitted from the fan belt 23 to the polit and through the belt 44 to the pulley 43. From this pulley the power will be transmitted to the pulley 31 and then through the belt its to the pulley 33-. This sets the curtain raiser cable 32 into motion, moving the forward run of the cable upwardly and thus raising the curtain as previously stated.

A As has also been previously stated, as the curtain is'raised the ends of the rod 35 will pass over the pins'53, swinging the member M back against the action of the springs 6| each time the rod passes a pair of pins 58 and after the rod 34 passes the uppermost transversely spaced pairs of pins 58 the member M will swing outwardly again. During this upward movement or closing movement of the curtain the trip heel 35 will be moving downwardly and after the rod 3% of the curtain has passed the uppermost pair of pins 58 the trip heel 35 will engage the seat 56 of the trip head 55 and apply downward pressure to the head. This downward pressure will cause the head to first oscillate forwardly and downwardly on the pivot '13 until its underside contacts the top of the plate M whereupon it will be further oscillated on the pivot thereby applying a pull to the wire 49a to efiect the retraction of the locking studs 62 from the notches 52a. As soon as the locking studs are retracted in this manner the carriage C will be released and the spring 54 will pull the carriage down disengaging the pulley 42 from the belt 23 and thus cutting off the driving power for the cable 32. The spring roller for the curtain will then tend to pull the curtain back down but the ends of the rod 34 will be caught upon the underlying pins 58 so that the curtain will be held in this raised position.

If the operator then desires to return the curtain to uncovering position this may be done by pulling the release wire 39. This will pull back upon the top of the member M so as to withdraw the pins 58 from beneath the ends of the bar 35 thereby allowing the curtain roller to retract and roll up the curtain. If full retraction of the curtain is not desired the release wire 49 can be pulled back and then again quickly pushed forward so as to project a lower pair of pins 58 into the path of movement of the downwardly moving curtain rod 34 and thus catch the rod and stop the curtain in its partly retracted position.

The mechanism can be set so that the curtain will be automatically returned to a partially raised position by the operator first retracting or pulling back on the release wire 49 to a desired extent before the control wire 61' is pulled, thereby rearwardly tilting the member M to retract the ends of certain of the pins 58 from the path of movement of the bar or rod 34 but leave other lower ones such path of movement. By then pull ng the wire s? to effect the automatic raising of the curtain the curtain rod will be moved to its fully raised or elevated position, snapping past the lowermost pins 58 but passing across the forward ends of the uppermost ones which have been drawn back out of the path of movement of the rod. When the rod 34 reaches its uppermost Thus the curtain will be stopped in its I claim:

l. The combination with a motor vehicle including a radiator and a fan driving belt; of a heat regulator to be secured to the vehicle in adrance oi the radiator and comprising a frame, a spring roller carried thereby, a curtain wound thereon, a pulley upported for movement into and out of driven contact with the fan belt, and means for moving the pulley into contact with the belt, a friction pulley supported for shifting movement, a driving coupling between the pulleys, a rotatable element operatively coupled with the curtain and functioning when rotated in one direction to unwind the curtain from the spring roller, said pulleys and driving coupling being movable as a unit, and means for operatively coupling the friction pulley and rotatable element upon movement of said unit in one direction.

2. The combination with a motor vehicle including a radiator and a fan driving belt; of a heat regulator to be secured to the vehicle in advance of the radiator and comprising a frame, a spring roller carried thereby, a curtain wound thereon, a pulley supported for movement into and out of driven contact with the fan belt, means for moving the pulley into contact with the belt, friction pulley supported for shifting movement, a driving coupling between the pulleys, a rotatable element operatively coupled with the curtain and functioning when rotated in one direction to unwind the curtain from the spring roller, said pulleys and driving coupling being movable as a unit, means for operatively connecting the friction pulley and rotatable element upon movement of said unit in one direction, means for breaking said connection, and means for securing the curtain at a desired position of adjustment after breaking the connection.

3. combination with a motor vehicle including a radiator and a fan driving belt; of a heat regulator tmbesecured to the vehicle in ad Vance of the radiator and comprising a frame, a spring roller carried thereby, a curtain Wound thereon, a pulley supported for movement into and out of driven contact with the fan belt, a friction pulley supported for shifting movement, a driving coupling between the pulleys, a rotatable element operatively coupled with the curtain and functioning when rotated in one direction to unwind the curtain from the spring roller, said pulleys and driving coupling being movable as a unit, means for operatively connecting the friction pulley and rotatable element upon movement of said unit in one direction, means for moving the first pulley into engagement with the fan belt, and means for holding the first pulley in engagement with the fan belt for a predetermined period and then disengaging the first pulley from the belt.

4. The combinationwith a motor vehicle including a radiator and a fan driving belt; of a heat regulator to be secured to the vehicle in advance of the radiator and comprising a frame, a spring roller carried thereby, a curtain wound thereon. a second pulley supported for movement into and out of driven contact with the fan belt, means for moving the pulley into contact with belt, a friction pulley supported for shifting movement, a driving coupling between the pulleys, a rotatable element operatively coupled with the curtain and functioning when rotated in one direction to unwind the curtain from the spring roller, said pulleys and driving coupling being movable as a unit, means for operatively connecting the friction pulley and rotatable element upon movement of said unit in one direction, means for breaking said connection, means for securing the curtain at a desired. position of adiustment after breaking the connection, and means for releasing the securing means.

5. The combination with a motor vehicle including a radiator and a fan driving belt; of a heat regulator to be secured to the vehicle in advance of the radiator and comprising a frame, a spring roller carried thereby, a curtain wound thereon, a pulley supported for movement into and out of driven contact with the fan belt, means for moving the pulley into contact with the beit, a friction pulley supported for shifting movement, a driving coupling between the pulleys, a rotatable element operatively coupled with the curtain and functioning when rotated in one direction to unwind the curtain from the spring roller, said pulleysand driving coupling being mo able as a unit, means for operatively coupling the friction, pulley and rotatable element upon movement of said unit," in one direction, a latch e ent operatively coacting with the first pulley to maintain the first pulley in operative engagement with the belt, and automatic means releasing the latch element when the curtain has been moved a predetermined distance.

6. The combination with a motor vehicle including a radiator and a fan driving belt; of a heat regulator to be secured to the vehicle in advance of the radiator and comprising a frame, a spring roller carried thereby, a curtain wound thereon, a pulley supported for movement into and out of driven contact with the fan belt, a drive element cnupled with the curtain, a second pulley, a suitably guided flexible member operatively coupling pulleys, means for effecting a driving connection between the second pulley and the drive element for unwinding the curtain when the first pulley isv driven by the belt, a latch for holding the first pulley in operative engagement with the belt, a shiftable means associated with the latch 8 to move the latch into release position, and means operated by the drive element to actuate said shiftable means to release the latch after the curtain has been moved a predetermined. distance.

7. The combination. with a motor vehicle including a radiator and a fan driving belt; of a heat regulator to be secured to the vehicle in advance of the radiator and comprising a frame, a spring roller carried thereby, a curtain wound thereon, a pulley supported for movement into and out of driven contact with the fan belt, a drive element coupled with the curtain, a second pulley, a suitably guided flexible member operatively coupling the pulleys, means for efiecting a I driving connection between the first pulley and the drive element for unwinding the curtain when the first pulley is driven by the belt, a latch for holding the first pulley in operative engagement with the belt, a pull member operatively connected with the latch for releasing the latch, a movable trip with which the pull member is also operatively connected, and means carried and operated by the drive element to engage the trip member to impose pull on the pull member to release'the latch upon movement of the curtain a predetermined distance.

THEODORE KEITH LEWIS.

REFERENCES CITED l following references are of record in the a of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,443,465' Fulton Jan. 30, 1923 1,813,328 Hess Aug. 11, 1931 1,823,141 Hendrick-son Sept. 15, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 420,773 Great Britain Dec. 7, 1934 

